Pet Turtles - Red Eared Slider

Most pet turtles, red eared slider included, can be expected to live a long life if treated properly. If you know how to care for a turtle, your pet turtle can live anywhere from 40 to 50 years, perhaps even longer. But although turtles are unique in many ways from other species, they are also the same in some ways. If they don't get proper nutrition, their life span will be shortened. If not put in the right environment, their health will suffer. That's why it's important to get as much information as you can on how to care for a turtle and maximize their health and your enjoyment.

Most pet turtles, red eared slider included, are mainly herbivorous in the wild and can survive on vegetables such as carrots, lettuce or cabbage or fruits such as berries. Some owners also introduce earthworms or live insects such as crickets, beetles or spiders. Commercial turtle food is available if your turtle isn't getting all of the nutrients they need. What you feed your turtles, red eared sliders, box turtles or whatever kind you have, and how often you feed them (daily, every other day) depends on the type and age of your turtle. One thing you will notice is that the red eared slider's diet tends to change as they mature. Younger turtles are usually omnivores, eating a wide range of vegetation and insects. As they mature, they tend to be more herbivorous, sticking to fruits and vegetables.

Visit my other lens, linked to below, for more information on what to feed your turtle.

Having the right habitat for your turtles, red eared slider turtles among them, is important. A 20-50 gallon aquarium should suffice for most red-eared sliders. But, of course, if you have more than one make sure there is enough space for them to be comfortable. One rule of thumb is to have ten gallons per inch of turtle. For instance, a ten inch turtle may require a 100 gallon tank. Keep this in mind before buying your turtle. Also, make sure there is plenty of water and try to make it as pure as possible. Lighting is another important factor. Turtles, red eared slider turtles included, depend on sunlight for vitamin production and proper bone growth. If the turtles don't get natural sunlight, buy a fluorescent light or other specially designed light for reptiles. Finally, keep out things that could harm the turtle if they eat it, as things like woods chips or other organic materials can be dangerous to your turtle's health.

Finding the right temperature for your turtles, red eared slider included, is important. One thing that is important for your pet turtle is to try to keep it warm. Some turtles hibernate in the winter in the wild, but if you are keeping your pet turtle inside, it will not hibernate and it is important to make sure they are not exposed to extremely cold temperatures. Ideally, their surroundings should be kept at 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. You can lower the temperature 5-10 degrees at night.

There are plenty of good resources out there to help you find out how to care for a turtles, red eared slider turtles, box turtles and others. Feel free to visit my other lenses below. One of the valuable resources I've found and used is www.turtlecaresite.com. I've linked to them below. They have the best guide available to help you find all of the information on how to properly care for your turtle. I've used their product and I highly recommend it.